Learn English – The meaning of “Have been around”

idiomsmeaning

In the following context (excerpt from this answer):

They're examples of the double genitive/possessive, which is perfectly valid and has been around in English for centuries. The "of" already denotes "possession", but we do this again when we use mine/his instead of me/him.

I think has been around means exists in this context, but I can't confirm it. I tried to look it up in the dictionaries, but with no luck except as follows:
From Wiktionary, have been around the block is an alternative form of verb phrase to have been around, which idiomatically means "To be experienced in worldly matters; to be seasoned, not naive."
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, the 13th entry for around (have been around, informal) is

a) to have had experience of many different situations so that you can deal with new situations confidently : [eg] You could tell this guy had been around a bit by the knowing way he talked.
b) to have had many sexual experiences – used humorously

Can anyone help me to confirm that has been around means exists in the context I quoted?

Best Answer

Yes, has been around means 'has been in existence'. The OED gives only ‘to have gained much experience in the world’ but in practice the expression is used rather more widely, if only in informal contexts.

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